: existing or being everywhere at the same time: constantly encountered: widespread

How do you use it?

"One of the sure signs that spring is approaching," remarked Mr. Clark, "is the return of those ubiquitous skateboards on the sidewalks."

Are you a word wiz?

How long ago do you think "ubiquitous" first appeared in English?

A. Not long ago at all; it was first used around the late 1900s.

B. Not very long ago; its first appearance was in the early 1800s.

C. Rather long ago; it was used before 1600.

D. Very long ago; it dates back to the 1200s.

"Ubiquitous" is a fairly recent addition to English, first appearing early in the 1800s. "Ubiquitous" is an adjective formed from the noun "ubiquity," a much older word that means "presence everywhere or in many places especially simultaneously." "Ubiquity" has its roots in the Latin word "ubique," meaning "everywhere," and it made its first appearance in English in the late 1500s. Back in the 1500 and 1600s, thousands of Latin words were borrowed into the English language because many scholars read Latin and Greek texts. Some surprisingly modern-sounding words that entered English in the 1500s from Latin include "matrix," "fanatic," and "abracadabra."